There are basically two possible ways of supplying medical instruments or implants. One possibility is for such instruments or implants to be supplied in an unsterilized state, in which case it is essential that the instrument or implant, before being used on the patient, is sterilized by the surgeon or physician. Such a procedure, however, always entails the risk that the sterilization is carried out incompletely and under not entirely clean conditions, which can lead to later complications for the patient. Another possible way of supplying such medical instruments or implants is for them to be sterilized by the manufacturer before supply, and for the instrument or the implant then to be supplied in a sterile state for immediate use on the patient. A problem with this method is that, after the sterile barrier has been opened, the instruments often have to be inserted into a drive unit, as is the case with a drill, for example. Accordingly, implants in most cases have to be picked up with an auxiliary tool in order to use the latter to place the implant in the patient, as is the case, for example, with a dental implant, which is often screwed into the bone by means of a ratchet and of a screwing adapter. In doing so, it is necessary to ensure that, when the instrument or implant is being removed from the container and when it is being inserted into the drive instrument or the auxiliary tool, it is not subjected to chemical, biological or particulate contamination and thus rendered unsterile and its function impaired.
A corresponding container for medical instruments is known, for example, from DE 101 46 905. The latter discloses an instrument container which is of simple design and which permits easy and safe use, in particular handling, of a sterile medical instrument. The instrument container has a receiving part for the releasable mounting of at least one working part of the instrument, and a cap part which is secured releasably on said receiving part and which receives at least part of the shaft of the instrument. By this separation of the instrument container into two functional units, namely the receiving part and the cap part, it is possible for the manufacturer to supply the instrument in a sterile state and ready for use by the physician and for the instrument to be inserted into a drive unit or an auxiliary tool without contamination.